The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-07-20

the depot was Just in time to be too
late. The train was still in sight but too
far away to be overtaken. What is to be
done? 1 asked myself. If remain L en-
danger my life, II attempt TO walk forty.
seven miles on the railroad, might not
help to swell the army who had
fallen victims to the fatal malaria. | was
aware that each sleeper represented the
lives Of two Cinnamon. II escape Charyb-
dis might 1 not collide with Scylla?
| Hastily debating the issues I came to the
determination to leave Panama at every
cost, and brave the consequences of travel.
What If miasma infected the air or the
forests contained living forms dangerous
to human life, nothing venture nothing
| gain. Already the sun was rapidly as
cending the heavens, and the heat was
each moment increasing in intensity.
Turning my back upon the cool piazza of
the depot, 1 stepped forth on the first of
many Of the thousands of sleepers was to
cross ere l reached Aspinwall. Each side of
the narrow road which constituted the
single railway track the soil was
sandy and loose in most places, thus CON-
polling me to confine my walking to the
track. had gold in my money belt, and
in my pocket sufficient loose sill yer to make
any purchases of the natives I might re-
qUire. Although 1 was entirely unarmed
apprehended no danger, for experience
has taught me the way to avoid quarrels is
to remain peaceful; but what is 10 be said
OF the history of the city am fleeing from,
like Lot from Sodom. Panama was found
ed in 1918 by Pedro Arias Davila, and is
the Oldest European city in America, the
older settlement at Santa Maria FL Antigua
Ito quote from the travels of Pedro de
Creza de Leon), near the Atrato, having
been abandoned and leaving no trace
Originally il was situated six or seven
mills further north, and OIL the left side
of the Rio Algarrobo, but the former city,
which was the great emporium for the gold
and silver from Peru, had eight monasta-
ries, cathedral and two churches, fine
hospital, 2C0 richly furnished houses, nearly
5000 houses of the humber sort. A Geno-
csc Chamber Of Commerce and 200 ware
houses were, after three weeks of rapine
and murder, burned February 81, 1871, by
Morgan's buccaneers, who carried off It's
laden mules and more than 600 prisoners"
A new city was founded on the present site
by Yillacarta in 1878 Some little com.
melce is still maintained in India rubber,
cocobolo, ssrsaparilla, tortoise shell, vanil-
ia, whale oil and cocoa nuts. Panama is a
State and city of Colombia, and the city is
the capital of the State and seat of the
Bishop, although, in the sixteenth and sew.
enteenth centuries, Panama was next to
Cartagena, the strongest fortress in South
America. Its massive granite ramparts
CONSTRUCTED by Alfonzo Mercado de Villa
carts), in some places forty feet high and
sixty feet broad, have been raised on the
land side, and permitted to fall into ruin
toward the sea, while in the city ruins of
ecclesiastical ediices abound, speaking elo-
quently of the mutations of time. In 1878,
when / was there, it had population of
1873. Panama was left some miles be-
hind, its romantic rise and perceptible de-
cay still haunted my thought as L paced
from sleeper to sleeper. Now, the country
appeared. to be overgrown with forest on
each side of the track, rich ferns, orchids,
bamboo, mandioc, palm, caoutchouc, iner-
citron, cinchona, logwood, sugar cane, CO.
coanut, plantain, oranges, lime and bana-
ma, with many other varieties, appeared In
profusion, while the surface of the earth
was covered with dense underbrush, a
fine lair for wild animals or serpents. Ar
irving at Carocal by noon, L visited ma
tive hut anG inquired for refreshments.
obtained bottle of wine, a box of sardines
and some crackers. The native kind
ly bade me take a stool. Hang
ing to the stills of the hut
was a formidable looking lizard killed that
morning. No possum roast to Southern
darkey would be hailed with greater de.
light than lizard stew by the natives Of
the Isthmus. In a little time 1 was Joined
by several prominent natives, clad very
| simply, land 1 may say scantily. extended
! the Inequalities of my table, which they
kindly accepted. The heat being so oppres.
| sive, 1120 in the shade, had no appetite
| for solids, but refreshed myself with some
wine and water 1.-THE latter was simply
abominablel then bidding farewell to these
simple.hearted people, after paying the
modest sum of 80 cents for my meal, 1
once more, under broiling sun, com-
menced my march to the next station.
True, was entTeated not TO attempt the
| journey while the sun was mp, but
had been advised not to make 1t when the
sun went down; so on went. Crossing the
Rie Grande. 1 saw several women aud
| young girls in the stream washing clothes.
Like our first parents in the Garden, they
had very little extra clothing. Perceiving
me they instantly intercepted my line Of
vision by holding up some Of the clothes
they were washing, feeling supremely in
different 70 such uncourteous behavior.
quenched my thirst by drinking the-uios
of oranges which plucked from the trees.
Approaching the river ObisPo, near Bar
bacoas, noticed that 1t was spanned by q
long open. trestled bridge, which had,
however, ironwork sides which had just
been painted bright red. Beneath the
bridge (for it was ebb tide, If such term may
he allowedl the rocky bed of the river ap-